Looking Back
by Naomi-san
Summary: As Kagome and Inuyasha's love for each other grows, he reveals the story of his mysterious past to her. A/N: I made up some of the events of his past, so do not flame me. Please R&R!
1. Reunion

Looking Back  
  
Chapter One: Reunion  
  
Inu Yasha sighed as he lay stretched out on the limb of a tree, trying to relax after a long day. It was the very same tree that Kikyo had pinned him to with her cursed arrow.  
  
But after fifty years of being stuck to the trunk of that wretched tree, a young girl freed him from his prison by removing the arrow from his body.  
  
The girl's name was Kagome, and she had come from the future through a well called the Bone-Eaters well, which brought her to feudal Japan after she was pulled into it by a demon named Mistress Centipede.  
  
Upon arriving back in time, Kagome found Inu Yasha, freed him, and battled Mistress Centipede, whom was out to get the Jewel of Four Souls, which turned out to be inside Kagome the whole time.  
  
The Jewel was a very powerful object, and gave whoever got hold of it the power of a full-fledged demon. Inu Yasha was pinned to the tree because he tried to steal it, being in desperate need of becoming a true demon, and Kikyo didn't want the Jewel to fall into the wrong hands, especially the arrogant Inu Yasha's.  
  
But that was a very long time ago, and he would have been stuck there forever if it wasn't for Kagome. After Mistress Centipede was defeated, the Jewel was shattered from Kagome's arrow when she tried to protect it from another power-hungry demon.  
  
It broke into numerous fragments that were scattered all over the land. Inu Yasha and Kagome set out to find every last fragment of the Jewel before it turned up in the wrong hands.  
  
Along the way they met Shippou, Miroku, and Sango, whom joined them on their quest. They even made enemies, including Inu Yasha's half-brother Sesshoumaru and the powerful Naraku.  
  
Their journey lasted for what seemed like an eternity, and when it finally ended with the defeat of Naraku, the five had settled down.  
  
Kagome went back to her time through the well, but always paid a visit to her friends. Miroku and Sango settled in together, and Shippou lived with them.  
  
As for Inu Yasha, he spent his days pondering about random things while living alone. Although he had never directly admitted it, he loved Kagome with all his heart.  
  
He wished that she could be his mate and live with him in his time, but he knew that that would never happen. She had a family who cared about her.  
  
Thinking about family made Inu Yasha's heart sink into his stomach. He never really thought back to his past at all, but he had his reasons.  
  
It was a painful past, and he could not put it in simple words. Kagome was the only family he ever cared about.  
  
Every time Kagome jumped into that well to go back to her time after her weekly visits, he would watch her go with a heavy heart. He would count the hours till she came back again, and when she did he would feel the happiest he had ever felt in his life.  
  
Deep down, he knew that she loved him too, but just like him she would not confess directly.  
  
They were probably too scared to allow themselves to fall in love, and were also probably scared of what would happen after they did. Would she ever choose between two worlds? Would she ever choose between her normal life and living in a foreign world with a half-breed demon?  
  
Half-breed. The word always brought a cold tension to his heart. He was a half-breed, yes. A mongrel. He remembered when he used to be harassed as a young child by full-blooded demon children and even human children.  
  
They threw rocks and sticks at him, beat him for their amusement, and chanted 'half-breed' over and over until Inu Yasha thought that he would go mad.  
  
But that was all in the past, and he had learned to push all that away. Inu Yasha sighed and closed his eyes.  
  
It was about three hours till the sun went down, and the nocturnal animals began their chorus of nighttime cries and their hunting rituals.  
  
Fireflies appeared in the cool atmosphere, flickering lazily in the hazy glow of the setting sun. Inu Yasha suddenly opened his eyes and jumped out of the tree, easily landing on all fours.  
  
He perked his ears, and he started to sniff the air. He could smell a scent that was clearly unmistakable to recognize. The scent belonged to Kagome, and it was coming from the well.  
  
Excited, Inu Yasha sped toward the direction of the scent, his heart pounding feverishly in his chest. As he burst into the area where the well resided, he saw Kagome struggling to climb out of it. Smiling, Inu Yasha silently crept through the foliage to the back of the well where she could not see him.  
  
She was cursing under her breath as she tried to climb up the walls of the well, losing her footing every ten seconds. "Darn Bone-Eaters well," she grumbled. "Why don't you cooperate?"  
  
Inu Yasha held back laughter as he watched her. The sight of her in action was just too amusing. 'She can slay demons, but she can't climb up the walls of wells' he thought, deeply amused.  
  
She was almost out over the top, wheezing and puffing for air, when Inu Yasha slowly extended his arms out towards her back in a zombie impression.  
  
When she was just about to climb out, he shouted loud enough to wake the dead, "KAGOME!"  
  
She screamed and fell over the edge, landing hard in the grass. "Inu Yasha!" she screamed, but she was laughing. He joined in on the laughter and helped her to her feet.  
  
"Thanks for the warm welcome," she said in a sarcastic tone. He grinned. "Aw, come on, you needed a good scare!"  
  
She fluffed his hair up with her hands. "You ought to look at yourself in the mirror sometime, mister," she laughed. "You get fluffier by the day!"  
  
He smiled, wrapped his arms around her waist, and spun her around. "I am so glad you're back," he said when he put her down. "It is so dull without you."  
  
Kagome looked into his soft, yellow eyes and smiled back. "It is even duller when you aren't calling me 'wench' all day."  
  
Inu Yasha grinned. "So, would you like to hang out for awhile?"  
  
"Are you kidding?" she replied. "That's what I came here for!"  
  
Inu Yasha laughed got down on all fours. "Get on my back," he said, "and I'll take you to my place."  
  
She got on and he held onto her legs, and as he took off like a bullet she wondered where this place would be. The wind was whipping into her eyes and making them water, so she lowered her head and rested it on Inu Yasha's shoulder, wrapping her arms around him so she wouldn't fall off, even though he would never let that happen.  
  
As they went off into the horizon, both had the same thought: should I confess my feelings? 


	2. Confessions

Chapter Two: Confessions  
  
Kagome must have somehow fallen asleep while riding on Inu Yasha because she was awoken from his hand gently shaking her shoulder and saying her name softly.  
  
She sat up abruptly and scared Inu Yasha out of his wits at her sudden revival, and he fell over. Not noticing this, she looked around and realized that they were in a small cave.  
  
It was warm and cozy, and it had a small pool of pure water in the very center of the cave. There were bundles of leaves in random places as well.  
  
Kagome guessed that that was where Inu Yasha slept. She suddenly felt sorry for him because he was so alone, but she was quickly brought out of her thought by Inu Yasha's voice.  
  
"God Kagome, you scared the hell out of me! Don't do that again!" he said as he got up and dusted himself off. Kagome looked up at him and smiled. "Sorry, Inu. My bad."  
  
He cocked his head slightly at that. "What the heck does 'my bad' mean?" he asked her. Kagome blushed and looked away. "Um, I dunno. It's something people say when they're sorry. It's slang."  
  
He gave her another weird glance. "What is slang? Is it some kind of food?"  
  
Kagome sweat dropped and sighed. "No, no. Forget I said anything." He gave her one final look, and then looked away.  
  
Some time ensued before Kagome spoke up again. "So, um, this is where you live, huh?" Inu Yasha nodded. "Yes. Do you like it?"  
  
Kagome considered a moment, and then said, "Yes, of course. I think it's, um, nice." Inu Yasha sighed and sat down beside her. "I know what you're thinking. Look, it's not like I had any other place to go."  
  
"You could have stayed with Miroku and Sango," Kagome suggested. "Feh! Are you crazy, wench? I wouldn't stand living with that pervert for the rest of my days!"  
  
Kagome smiled when he said 'wench'. She actually liked it when he called her that. To her, it was his way of saying that he loves her. Well, in a weird kind of way, that is.  
  
"Inu Yasha," she said softly. "Do you ever get lonely?" Inu Yasha looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. "Why would you care?" he asked her testily.  
  
She shrugged and smiled. "Because I care about you, that's why." She was looking into his eyes as she said this. His face turned a light crimson color and he looked away.  
  
"Oh, really?" he said. "Yes," Kagome replied. "Very much." Inu Yasha smiled to himself. His plan was going where he wanted it to go; he was helping the words out of Kagome's mouth.  
  
What he did not suspect was that Kagome already knew what he was trying to do, and she decided to play along and try his trick as well.  
  
"Why would you care about me so much, Inu Yasha?" she asked, an innocent expression on her face. Inu Yasha looked dumbfounded. "Well...um, I...erm, that is, uh..." he stammered. Finally he stopped, scratched the back of his head, and studied the floor.  
  
"The thing is, Kagome," he tried again, "I...I care about you very much like you said you cared about me. Only I think that my, um, caring is much more serious."  
  
"Why is that?" she asked. The innocent schoolgirl expression was still plastered onto her face.  
  
"Well...because I'm a boy," he said. He blushed, embarrassed. "I mean, you might not know the true nature of a male demon, but let me tell you that it's pretty messed up."  
  
He stopped, realizing that he sounded like a fool. He was even confusing himself. He glanced at Kagome, and she looked at him intently. "So, what are you trying to say?" she asked.  
  
"I..." Inu Yasha started. He paused as their eyes met, and they held their gaze for what seemed like an eternity. The connection was overwhelming, and the atmosphere was getting a bit too hot.  
  
"What I am trying to say, Kagome, is I..." He paused and took a deep breath. 'This is it' he thought. 'Don't screw the moment up, you dumb mutt.'  
  
"I love you," they both finished at the same time. They grew silent as they gazed at each other, their mouths gaping. For the longest time they did not say anything. They were too shocked to utter a sound.  
  
Finally Kagome broke the silence. "Do you mean that, Inu Yasha?" she whispered. "Do you really love me?" Inu Yasha smiled, and then nodded. "Yes, Kagome; I really, truly, honestly, absolutely, undoubtedly love you with all my heart," he whispered back.  
  
She looked at him for a second, and then smiled at him. "And I love you just as much, Inu Yasha," she said softly. There was another great pause, and then Inu Yasha slowly leaned in and captured her lips with his own.  
  
Kagome's breath caught painfully in her throat and her heart was beating like crazy. She kissed him back, and it lasted for a while. They savored the moment for a minute, and then Inu Yasha wrapped his arms around her, still kissing her passionately.  
  
She held him back, their love for each other growing every second. Inu Yasha's heart was about to rip from his chest, and his male instincts were screaming at him. He was careful not to lose control of himself. He did not want to hurt Kagome in any way.  
  
Kagome had never felt this much love since she was first kissed by Hojo at the junior high dance. Now she was so full of lust, she could not stand it.  
  
The kiss lasted for a while longer, until Inu Yasha finally broke away. "What is it?" Kagome asked after she caught her breath.  
  
Inu Yasha shook his head. "Kagome, I don't want to lose control. I'm afraid I might hurt you." Kagome she gave him a loving look before gently hugging him. "I trust you, Inu Yasha," she whispered. "I know you would never hurt me."  
  
"You only think that I would never hurt you by my own desire," he said. "But the truth is, I am a demon, and demons can be killers when their instincts take over them, especially their mating instincts."  
  
"Mating?" Kagome asked him. She looked up at him. "Is that what's nagging at you, Inu Yasha?" He couldn't face her. He looked down, deeply embarrassed and ashamed.  
  
"Yes," he said softly. "But I cannot control it. It's a terrible desire, and if I do not have the power it can take over me."  
  
She looked at him, a look of pity and understanding on her face. "Alright, it's okay," Kagome said quietly, gently stroking his hair. "It's okay, Inu Yasha. I am too young, anyway. My parents would kill me."  
  
She giggled softly, but when she looked at him she saw that his expression was stern. "Maybe when I graduate college I can come here and live with you," she said softly, her eyes never leaving his. "By then I'll be ready."  
  
He glanced at her, still ashamed. "Well, until then, let's just stick with hug-and-kiss, okay?" he said. She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Sounds like a plan to me."  
  
After she broke away, they sat there for a while, not talking. A cricket chirped outside the entrance to the cave, and a frog croaked deep in its throat.  
  
All was quiet and peaceful. It was a bit too quiet, really. Suddenly, a curious thought dawned to Inu Yasha. "Kagome," he said, "have I ever told you about my past?"  
  
She shook her head and said, "You told me that you didn't like to talk about it." Inu Yasha scratched his head. "Yea, well...that's only because it wasn't a good time. But now that we're alone, I would very much like to discuss it with you."  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked. Inu Yasha nodded. "Yes. Even though I remember only bits and pieces of it, I will try to explain it the best I can."  
  
Kagome scooted over until she was sitting in front of him, and she put her chin in her cupped hands. "Alright, if that's what you want to talk about," she said. "Fire away."  
  
And so, being a bit confused with the expression, Inu Yasha began his story. 


	3. Beginnings

Chapter Three: Beginnings  
  
"I was born during a time of pain and destruction," he began. "It was time of infamy and evil. There was a war going on between the southern hanyou and the northern hanyou. My father led the northern hanyou into battle. The southern army's leader, Mekaimaru, had attacked us at full force without any warning. (A/N: I do not know his parents real names, so I'll just call them 'mother' and 'father')  
  
"We were weakening dangerously fast. My father was desperate to somehow get more recruits. Unfortunately, hanyous were too scared for wars back in those days, especially wars against powerful hanyous such a Mekaimaru. But now the hanyous today are so determined that they kill anything they want out of pure pleasure. History is a very strange subject."  
  
Kagome nodded in agreement, thinking back to her history teacher and the subject of the Vietnam War. It confused her so bad, she got an 'F' on her test grade and her mother had fainted when she saw the paper. Not to mention that she was grounded for two weeks.  
  
"But anyway," he continued, "during this time my mother was in labor with me. Since my father was out leading the northern army, he could not be there to comfort her. But she somehow managed and gave birth on her own, and I was brought into the world.  
  
"Her first words she said to me was, 'Inu Yasha'. And the name stuck. But the downside of my existence was that as soon as I was born, my father was slaughtered by Mekaimaru. It's a family curse, I suppose. It's happened before."  
  
He chuckled lightly, but not in good humor. Some people, like Inu Yasha, can't help but laugh lightly when something terrible happens. Kagome supposed that this was to keep their tears down and their spirits high. "Inu Yasha," she began. "No, no. I'm fine. Don't worry," he assured her with a small grin.  
  
She nodded, and he continued his story. "Well, after the war was over, our side ended up losing. So Mekaimaru and his army came over to our territory and started taking us away. Where we were going to be put, I had no idea. But it seemed like my mother did not want to find out.  
  
"Even being weak from childbirth, she ran away from the territory as fast as her legs could carry her. She was fast for a human."  
  
"A human?" Kagome interrupted. "Yes," he replied. "And my father was a demon; a full-blooded demon, to be exact. But because my father mated with a human, I became a half-breed."  
  
"Oh," she said, blinking. "I see now. Go on."  
  
"Well, it turned out that my mother did not know where to go. She was weak and scared and alone, and was frightened at the thought that Mekaimaru might catch her. But these thoughts had made her go faster and faster, and somehow, something was leading her in the right direction.  
  
"As she stumbled into a clearing, she saw a little village not far from her. She ran up to one of the houses, and pounded on the door. A young man opened the door, and she fell into his arms, sobbing out the words, 'Help me. Please help me.'  
  
"So he took us in without another word. He took care of us, but he mostly took care of my mother because she was dangerously near to death from straining herself. But she had lived, and as she slowly got better, she and the man fell in love. His name was Sai. He was a good man, and they were both human, so I did not care about their love for one another.  
  
"We lived with Sai for five years, and I had become a small child. We were living the good life when we got the news that Mekaimaru was assassinated, be he had a son named Menomaru. My mother was frightened all over again, but even though I was very young, I comforted her by saying that Menomaru did not want anything to do with us. He was probably a good guy, anyway.  
  
"She only smiled weakly and hugged me. Our life still carried on with no word from Menomaru, which was a good thing. But one day something happened to me that I would never forget."  
  
He paused, as if he was not sure if he wanted to continue. "Go on," Kagome said softly, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "What happened?" Inu Yasha sighed, and then continued.  
  
"Well, there were only humans in the village. Therefore, there were children. My mother and Sai never let me outside to play with the children. 'You can play in the woods' my mother would say, 'But do not go near the humans.'  
  
"Of course, being the ignorant and daring child I was, I disobeyed and set off into the village when I told my mother that I was playing in the woods. So I ran off and pretty soon found a group of kids and adults tossing a round ball around. It looked like fun, so I asked if I could play. They said no.  
  
"But instead of saying 'Okay' and walking off, I began jumping around trying to catch the ball that sailed over my head. They ignored me, but then I eventually caught it. 'Hey kid!' an adult cried angrily, 'Give us the ball!' But I ignored him and started bouncing it on the ground experimentally. I was quite fascinated by the nature of this round object.  
  
"They were all losing their patience; there were about ten of them. Yet as much as they wanted the ball back, they did not try to come close to me. Was it that they were afraid of me? Well, of course that was the reason. But since I was a stupid little kid I did not know that.  
  
"Now that adult that had spoke up before was getting very impatient and very angry. 'Give me the ball!' he snarled. When I still refused to give it up, he tried again. 'Give me the damn ball, you little shit!' I looked at him intently, wondering what these words meant.  
  
"I just ignored them once again even as they cursed at me and called me by the most awful names. Finally I stopped and looked up at them. 'Could I please play?' I asked. The man glared at me with the sternest scowl on his face. 'No, you can't!' he shouted. He then kicked the ball out of my hands, and it went sailing over towards a bridge that went over a small stream.  
  
"He said in a voice full of hate, 'Go fetch, you half-breed. And keep the damn ball. No one wants to use it after you touched it with your dirty hands.' And with that, he spat at my feet and headed off.  
  
"Soon everyone else went away, and I chased after that ball. It had landed on the bridge and I picked it up. When I got up, I saw my mother sitting there at the other side of the bridge. I ran up to her and said, 'Mother, what's a half-breed?' She only looked at me with tears in her eyes, and she gave me the biggest hug she had ever given me in my life.  
  
"When we got back to the house, my mother did not spank me as most humans did when their children were disobedient. Instead, she told me what 'half-breed' meant. After she told me the whole story of the war and my father and her running away, I had looked at her with a new kind of respect. I hugged her and cried, and she hugged me back. She was crying as well.  
  
"She did not tell Sai about it, thank the gods, but she never again spoke about the incident. I had many dreams after that. They were dreams about me being a full-blooded demon, a powerful being that no one would mess with.  
  
"From that moment on, I wished that I could become full-blooded, although every one thought that it was impossible to be fulfilled. When I asked my mother if I could become a true demon, she only looked at me fearfully and said that there was no way. I knew she was hiding something; I could see it in her eyes. But I did not try to press her into telling me the truth; I would eventually find out myself.  
  
"But, as I told you before, I was a very ignorant kid, so a week later I went out into the village again without mother knowing. I ran into a group of kids that were gambling on a doorstep. Some were from the ball game a week ago, but I still went up to them and asked, 'Can I play?' even though I had no idea what they were doing.  
  
"They looked up abruptly, and their eyes went wide and their faces went pale as they saw me, the half-demon, standing there asking to play. Then their eyes turned menacing, and the eldest boy, whom seemed to be winning the gamble, growled, 'What the hell did you just say?' I had looked at him, thinking that he heard wrong, so I asked again, 'Could I play with you?' They looked at me, and then each other. They started to snigger.  
  
"I waited patiently for their answer. Finally the eldest boy looked up again and said, 'Naw, I don't think we would like to play with a dirty half-breed like you.' That word again. 'But why?' I asked. 'Why do you hate me so much?' They snickered again and the youngest one piped up, 'Because you're a freak, that's why. I mean, come on. Your daddy had sex with a human, and your daddy was some freak demon; an animal. So you were born as some mixed-up animal freak.'  
  
"The laughter again. Me, not knowing what sex was, only looked at them. 'But I am still a bit human, just like you.' The eldest suddenly got up and was in my face before you could say 'hanyou'. He towered over me and glared down at me and said, 'No one gives a shit about you part human or not. You are still a freak, and you always will be.'  
  
"With that, he grabbed my sensitive dog ears and twisted them. I screamed and pain and backed away, tripping over a rock and falling on my back. He grinned. 'Come on, freak. Show us how strong you are.' He punched me in the stomach. I cried out and tried to get away, but he was holding me down with his free hand and his knee. He was too strong for me.  
  
"As he continued to beat me up, his buddies could only look at him in horror. 'H-Hey, Tsuya' the youngest one called. 'I-I think that that is enough, huh?' The others nodded in agreement, but Tsuya only growled back, 'Come on now, boys. This little freak needs to be punished. He doesn't deserve to live.'  
  
"He continued to punch me, and I continued to scream. Soon blood was pouring out of my mouth, and people were coming out of their homes to watch. Not to help, but watch.  
  
"I screamed for help, but they only observed, quite amused. Some of the kids that came out of their homes picked up sticks and small stones and started throwing them at me. 'Stop!' I screamed. 'Leave me alone!' But they did not stop. Tsuya's buddies ran away in guilt, not looking back.  
  
"The people were chanting, 'Hanyou, hanyou, hanyou' over and over again like a broken record. Blood and tears were pouring down my face, and I thought that I would have died if my mother hadn't appeared, screaming my name.  
  
"She pushed through the crowd and threw the boy violently off me. He screamed as he landed on his arm, and I think he broke it. Serves him right, that little rat bastard. My mother picked me up in her arms and called my name, shaking me gently, trying to wake me, but in vain.  
  
"She stood up with me limp in her arms, and she glared at the guiltless crowd with a gaze that would have burned a hole through someone's soul. 'You thoughtless, cruel animals!' she screamed at them. 'You bastards! How could you do this? How could you treat another human being just like yourselves with such hate? He may be different, but for the gods' sake, he's still a human being!'  
  
"It was then that guilt was plastered onto their faces. Some looked at the ground or at their feet, some stared into space. Then, with a final glare of hatred, my mother took me to the house.  
  
"I was cleaned up and my wounds were mended, but after I was well rested she told me, 'We're leaving as soon as you recover, Inu Yasha. This place is not meant for us.' I nodded in agreement and relief. She broke the news to Sai, and he nodded solemnly, knowing that he was forbidden to follow even though she loved him dearly.  
  
"And she kept her word. As soon as I recovered, we left the house and journeyed to the west, hoping to find a new life. That was the last time we would ever see Sai, the village, and the cruel villagers."  
  
He stopped and looked at an astonished Kagome. "And that is the beginning of my story," he said softly. Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "Those thoughtless bastards! How could they be so cruel?"  
  
"Well," he said, holding her, "that is how the world works, Kagome, and the nature of the human being. It's just how life is." She glared at the ground. "Life sucks," she said simply. He laughed softly and kissed her hair.  
  
"I should be going home now, Inu Yasha," Kagome said softly. "I would very much like to hear the rest of your story soon." He smiled and got up, helping her up as well. "Of course," he said, and they walked to the well together.  
  
After Kagome kissed him good-bye and then jumped into the well, Inu Yasha's heart was filled with longing again. 'She'll be back next week' he thought. 'So stop moping, already.' He sighed and went back to his cave, laying down on a bundle of leaves for a much needed rest. 


	4. Destruction

Chapter Four: Destruction  
  
The next week dragged on, and Kagome would wait impatiently for the days to end. In class while doing tests and such, she could not concentrate. All she ever thought about was seeing Inu Yasha again.  
  
Back in the feudal era, Inu Yasha was impatient as well. He was bored when Kagome wasn't around. He spent his time running around, hunting, visiting Miroku, Sango and Shippou, and sleeping.  
  
His days were more boring than hers, though. "I don't believe this," he grumbled to himself. "How can days like this be so boring? I definitely need a hobby."  
  
On Friday afternoon, Kagome sprinted to her home after school was out. She ran like the devil was chasing her, not knowing why she was in such a rush. She was going to see him on Saturday, not today.  
  
But she ran anyway, and was out of breath when she finally reached her house. She took a bath, ate dinner, did her homework, and then went to bed. She was a bit too nervous to fall asleep.  
  
She didn't know why she was nervous, but Inu Yasha felt the same way. He turned over in the tree a thousand times before he finally felt comfortable. Soon in both worlds, Inu Yasha and Kagome fell into a deep, peaceful slumber, anxiously awaiting the next day to arrive.  
  
***  
  
Inu Yasha woke up to Kagome's scent. He went to the well and saw her still struggling to climb out. He couldn't help himself; he burst out laughing.  
  
"Hey!" Kagome cried. "What are you laughing at?" Inu Yasha couldn't reply because he was laughing so hard; instead, he shook his head.  
  
She fell over the lip of the well and landed on her face. "Ow," she said, her voice muffled from the ground. "Are you okay?" Inu Yasha asked, still laughing.  
  
He helped her up. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied, dusting herself off. When she was done dusting and Inu Yasha was done laughing, they looked at each other for a second, and then kissed.  
  
"Well, let's go," Kagome said, smiling, after they broke away. Inu Yasha nodded and crouched down so she could get on his back. When she got on, he sped off like a bullet once again to his cave.  
  
***  
  
"After we left the village, my mother and I wandered the forest for several days. We had little food to eat and little water to drink. We were exhausted and scared, not knowing where we were going or what to do," Inu Yasha continued his story. Kagome was lying in his lap, her arms around him and her head against his chest.  
  
"We thought for sure that we were going to die if we didn't find shelter soon. The forest was dark and ominous, its eerie presence striking fear into our hearts.  
  
"It was unbearably hot in the daytime, and it was freezing at night. My mother did her best to protect me from the cold and the hunger of the night creatures. She was willing to die for me. I owe her so much."  
  
Inu Yasha looked down, and Kagome saw tears brimming in his eyes. "Well, I used to owe her, anyway." Kagome was silent. He took in a shuddering breath and continued.  
  
"Pretty soon we were on the brink of death itself. We could feel our lives slowly dripping away, and we became so weak that we could barely walk.  
  
"My mother carried me, and she rested every five minutes of our travel. There was no soul in sight, and we were starting to lose hope. But then, one day, we were practically crawling through the forest, when we emerged from a couple shrubs and, lo and behold, there was another village that lay before our eyes.  
  
"It was a lot bigger than the other village, and it certainly looked a lot more welcoming. The people who lived there were humans, but they seemed friendly enough. When they saw us all scraggly and starving and lying in the dirt, they took us in and treated us.  
  
"There was this one lady named Mae whom invited us to settle in her spare bedrooms. How could we refuse? She was very kind, and she did not call me a 'half-breed'. Actually, none of the villagers did. We eventually got our strength back, and were soon well again.  
  
"I wandered the village a lot, and I played with some of the human boys. They did not throw stuff at me and called me names; they were my best friends. We occasionally went out to the docks and fished. This was a fishing village, so it was by the water.  
  
"Life went well for us once again. It seemed like there would be no problems. No danger, no hassle. But I had always ignored and forgotten about that dark figure that I always saw out of the corner of my eye. He was always somewhere, watching me, studying me. I could always feel that he was there, yet I did not seem to care at all.  
  
"We had been living there for three years, and that person was always watching me like a protective parent. I was stupid not to tell my mother about it. Then one day my friends and I were playing hot-potato with a ball, and it just so happened to fly out of my reach and roll into an alley.  
  
"My buddies told me to go get it, so I went for it. I went into the alley, a bit scared because I had hated the dark. The ball was a bit far in, wedged between two crates. I pulled that ball out, and as soon as I was about to get up and walk away, I heard a voice. 'Little boys shouldn't wander in dark places.'  
  
"My heart had stopped in my chest, and I slowly rose to see the dark figure standing there in front of me. He was clad in a long, black robe, and the hood of it covered his head. The only part of his body that was showing was his mouth.  
  
"He smiled at me; it was a dark smile. I stammered, 'I-it's y-you' and he looked down at me, continuing to smile. I saw a quick glimpse of his eyes before they disappeared once again in his hood. 'Inu Yasha,' he said, his voice in a deadly calm tone. 'Why do you befriend these humans?'  
  
"I looked up at him in confusion, not really knowing what to say. 'W- what is so wrong w-with it?' I asked. His mouth twisted into that insane smile again. 'Did you know that humans do not care one bit about us hanyous? Sure, they may seem as nice and friendly now, but sooner or later they betray you. They hate hanyous, Inu Yasha, and they want to kill us all.'  
  
"I was terrified now, and I didn't even bother to ask how he knew my name. Instead, I said, 'You're lying! My friends would never hurt me!' The person shook his head. 'Just like those boys at the other village did?' I fell silent at this. I looked down at the ground. 'Look, Inu Yasha,' he continued. 'These humans are inferior. They are a hazard to the hanyou race. You are a very special and powerful demon, and I would very much appreciate it if you would help me exterminate every human off the face of this planet.'  
  
"I was so shocked, I could barely talk. I was also disgusted. 'I-I won't do that!' I stammered; my legs were shaking like there was an earthquake. He glared down at me. 'You better help me, or you will regret it. I am warning you.'  
  
"He pointed a clawed finger at my face. I gasped. 'Now, join me,' he hissed. 'It is for your own good, and for the good of the future of hanyous!' I stared up at him for a while, terribly shaken. Somehow, I found the courage to speak. 'No,' I replied firmly, steadying my voice. 'I hope you go to hell, you dirty son of a bitch.'  
  
"That sentence I used was one that I heard from this woman that was yelling at her husband for 'cheating' on her, whatever that is. I did not know what the sentence meant or that it was used to curse people, but after I said it and saw the fury in his eyes, I took off like a bullet. 'You will regret this!' I heard him bellow after me. He was not following, but I still ran like there was fire on my heels.  
  
"I ran past my buddies, and they yelled stuff like, 'Hey where's the ball?' and 'Where are you going?' I didn't stop running until I was in Mae's house and under the covers of my bed, shaking like a leaf."  
  
Inu Yasha stopped, either to take a breath or to relax himself from bursting into tears, which he looked like he was about to do. He took a breath, steadied his breathing, and held Kagome closer to him. She could hear his heart pounding fast in his chest, but not from holding her.  
  
"A couple days passed after that ordeal, and even though I went out to play with my buddies, that dark guy was nowhere in sight. But somehow, that had made me feel scared and nervous.  
  
"I had not told my mother, my friends, or anyone else about that incident. I was too scared, but I also thought that it was just a dream. So I pushed it out of my mind.  
  
"One night my mother was tucking me into bed. She kissed me good- night and got into the bed that was in the room across from mine. That night I had felt strange; I was nervous, sad, and frightened all at once. I was having bad premonitions that something terrible would happen to someone.  
  
"I felt like this all through the night until I fell asleep. When I was sleeping, I had a dream that there was a fire and a corpse. When I awoke, there really was a fire. It was spreading fast, along the walls and ceiling. The smoke was thick and was choking me.  
  
"But the first word that came to my lips instead of 'help' was 'mother'. I screamed the word 'mother' and I ran into her room. 'Mother, get up! There's a fire! Get up!' When I reached her bed, I froze. She was dead. There was blood everywhere, all over the bed and the floor around it.  
  
"She had been murdered. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, gazing upon her dead body, her corpse. My dream was true. My meeting with the dark figure was true. He had kept his word. With a cry, I smashed the window by her bed to pieces with my fist. I climbed out of there easily because the window was at ground-level. The whole house was on fire, and Mae was probably dead.  
  
"There were people running around, not knowing what to do. Some just stood there in shocked silence. I stood there as well, but not shocked. I was solemn, my face showing no emotion. I saw a dark figure in the shadows of the blazing house, and then disappeared.  
  
"Right there at that moment, I had made a silent vow that I would become a full-blooded demon and kill my mother's murderer. I walked off into the dark night, continuing north, and that was the start of my journey to finding the Jewel of Four Souls."  
  
Inu Yasha closed his eyes. Kagome asked softly, "So that is your life story?" He shook his head. "No, there is a lot more. If you don't want to hear the rest, then I won't tell you it."  
  
"No, it's okay," she said. "I want to hear it." Inu Yasha nodded. "So be it, then. Would you like me to go on?" Kagome nodded eagerly. "Yes, please do. And Inu Yasha, I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" he asked. "For your mother," Kagome explained. Inu Yasha smiled and waved it away. "It's okay. I've gotten over it."  
  
"Oh," Kagome said, her expression telling that she was not so sure. But as Inu Yasha continued, she listened intently. 


	5. Refuge

Chapter Five: Refuge  
  
"I had wandered north for the longest time, seeking a refuge where I could live with no problems. The lands to the north were plentiful with food and water. There were many streams with fish swimming in them, and there were edible berries and such to eat as well. If I was lucky enough, I would successfully hunt down a deer or two.  
  
"I was actually doing fine on my journey, unlike my mother and I in that dark forest before this. There were forests that I traveled through, but there were mostly open fields and plains. For days I had found no villages and no people.  
  
"But I never gave up. I never lost hope. I pushed on, desperate for two things: one, to find a place to stay, and two, to find how to become a full-blooded demon to kill my mother's murderer.  
  
"My eyes would always scan the dark regions of the field, and I would glance warily at every shadow in the forests, expecting to see that same dark figure that I met in the alley.  
  
"But he never came back to haunt me. It was like he was never real at all; I was beginning to think that I just had a bad dream. My mother's death could have been coincidental."  
  
"Did you find out who the murderer was?" Kagome asked him. Inu Yasha smiled. "Hey, don't rush me now. I'm getting to it." She smiled back up at him and then laid her head back onto his chest, listening closely.  
  
"A couple days passed, and soon I came across a village. It was not too small, but it was not too big, either. Even though it looked very welcoming, I had learned to not trust the looks of many things, including villages.  
  
"But I went up to it anyway, and as I got nearer I noticed that there were no humans living there. Instead, there were demons; some hanyou, and some full-blooded.  
  
"They were running around the village streets, carrying big bundles and yelling at each other. It looked like that there was a bazaar going on, and that was when I realized that this was a trading village.  
  
"The trading villages have bazaars all year long; people come from miles around just to sell, trade, and buy goods. But this was a very secret village, so that was why it was so far from the human territories.  
  
"It was hidden at the far edge of a plain, which was surrounded my small mountains. No one would have been able to see it unless they traveled through the mountains and went across that plain.  
  
"Well, I went up there and I was very happy because they were my people and they would take me in. They would not call me names or hurt me. I was one of their kind.  
  
"As soon as I entered the village, many of the demons stopped their activities to look at me. Ookamis, nekos, kitsunes and many other kinds of demons were there. It was a wonderful sight to see.  
  
"They stared at me for a while, and I guess I was a sight. But I was becoming nervous the way they looked at me. I was suddenly afraid that they would beat me up like those kids did and chase me out of the village, and possibly even kill me. I was tensing up while standing there, ready to bolt, when a rotund male demon pushed through the crowd and gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen.  
  
"He went up to me and, to my surprise and delight, shook my hand. 'Welcome, young one!' he said, showing all his fangs in his smile. 'Welcome to Shokugyo, the largest trade bazaar in the northern lands! I am Imasu, the bazaar's head marketer. Would you like to buy, sell, or trade today?'  
  
"I stood silent for a second, looking at the demons that were still gazing at me, but not in fear. They seemed like they were curious, actually. 'Excuse me, sir, but I have no money. I also have no home and no parents, and I was hoping that you had a place for me to stay until I am ready to leave on my journey again,' I explained to him.  
  
"He nodded and stroked his beard. 'Yes, of course!' he said merrily. 'I know where you could stay.' He led me around the marketplace, and many demons gave me weird looks. 'Sir, why are they looking at me like that?' I asked him after a while.  
  
"He looked down at me and smiled. 'Well, son, we haven't had any inu demons visit the bazaar for quite some time now. But this is the first time we have seen a hanyou. There is only one other inu in this market, and he is about your age, if not older. His name is Sesshoumaru.'  
  
"I looked at him, a bit confused. He went on. 'Sesshoumaru has no parents, like you, and he came to us one day out of the blue six years ago, just like you did. We let him live in one of our barracks, and he helps people out in the market. You can help him, if you like. I'll pay you.'  
  
"I couldn't reply; I was too lost in thought. Finally I said, 'Alright, I will do that.' He nodded. 'Good. Good.' I thought some more as we walked on, and then I said, 'Is he a hanyou, like me? I mean, is he a (half-breed) half-blooded demon?'  
  
"The man shook his head. 'No, actually. He is a full-blooded one; a true demon. He is pretty small, but he is very powerful.' I blinked, and then fell silent once again. We soon got to the barracks, which was at the very opposite end of the village. It was actually a place where the marketing people lived; these were the people that lived in the bazaar and sold their things to others that visited.  
  
"I then realized that if this market was so popular, than there must have been more demons and demon villages nearby. Somehow, this made me feel relieved. Imasu opened the door and gestured me inside. 'Welcome to your new home, son,' he said with a big smile.  
  
"I stepped inside and I saw that the barracks were not as bad as I thought they were. There were big hallways and chandeliers on the ceiling. It wasn't very fancy, though. There were doors along the walls of the barracks, and I assumed that these led to the rooms.  
  
"Imasu went inside after I did and said, 'Now, son, go to the door in the left hallway of the building that has the numbers 453 on it. That will be your room, and you will be sharing it with Sesshoumaru.' I nodded, and then went off. 'I'll call for you at eighteen hundred hours,' he called after me, 'and then you can start working.' I had looked back and nodded again, not knowing what eighteen hundred hours meant.  
  
"But I didn't bother to ask because I didn't want to sound like an idiot. I traveled down the left hallway and knocked on the door to room 453 when I finally got there. My feet were dead tired from walking, and I was exhausted myself.  
  
"When there was no answer to the knock, I called 'hello'. When there was still no answer, I opened the door and peeked inside. It was silent and dark, even though the shades on the windows were drawn. There seemed to be no life whatsoever in the room.  
  
"It was a nice room, actually. It had two beds and one bathroom, but it also had its own small kitchen and patio. I had cautiously crept around the room, occasionally saying a quiet 'hello' into the still darkness.  
  
"Suddenly it had dawned to me that this Sesshoumaru guy must not have been back from work yet. That being said, I collapsed onto one of the two beds, and I fell asleep just like that. I was later awoken by a clawed hand shaking my shoulder vigorously. 'Hey,' the voice said. 'Hey, wake up.'  
  
"I woke up and rested my eyes upon my awakener's face, and I freaked out and fell out of the bed. He leaned over me, glaring. I knew I was cowering on the floor. 'Who the hell are you?' he asked gruffly. 'I-I'm Inu Y-Yasha,' I stammered. 'I-I came from a long way a-and Imasu said I could stay here w-with y-you.'  
  
"His gaze turned soft, and then he smiled. 'Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I forgot that he told me about that. Busy day today; it really gets on my mind.' He helped me up. 'I'm Sesshoumaru,' he said, holding out his hand. I shook it. 'And I'm Inu Yasha'.  
  
"We sat there on the bed talking for a while. It turned out that he indeed had the same story as mine. I asked him if he knew his parents, and he said that he did not know. His mother was killed, and his father abandoned him. This had happened when he was six, and right now he was twelve.  
  
"He had spent his days wandering around, seeking refuge and parents. Everyone rejected him until he came across Shokugyo, and Imasu took him in like he did with Inu Yasha. Sesshoumaru has been living there ever since, helping out with work in the market.  
  
"When Sesshoumaru asked what my story was, I said that I did not know my father, but I knew my mother. I told him about my whole life story, from the time of my birth to the time of me finding Shokugyo.  
  
"He had looked at me and asked, 'You want to find a way to become a full-blooded demon?' I nodded. 'Yes, so I can become a lot more powerful and kill my mother's murderer. I could sense that he was stronger than me and you combined. He was even stronger than my father.'  
  
"Sesshoumaru gave me a curious look. 'You remember your father's power?' I shrugged. 'Seems like it. I remember a lot of weird things.' He nodded, and then his eyes widened. 'Hey, I think I know a way that you can become a true demon,' he cried. 'What?' I asked anxiously.  
  
"He looked me right in the eye and said, 'There is a legend that there is a sacred object called the Jewel of Four Souls, or the Shikon no Tama, which has the power to turn you into a true demon. Legend has it that it resides in a village that is very far from here, and the Jewel is protected by a priest. His wife, the priestess, was originally the guardian, but she became pregnant with their daughter. But I doubt that you will get passed them alive; they are very powerful.'  
  
"I had stuck my nose up in the air and declared, 'I am strong enough to take two humans on.' He shook his head. 'No, Inu Yasha, they are too strong. But I can train you.' I looked up at him, surprised by this suggestion. 'Are you really serious?' I asked. He nodded, smiling. I had thanked him for his information and for his kindness, and he promised me that he would train me when he had the chance.  
  
"Soon it was night and we had to hit the sheets. I fell asleep grateful to finally rest, and also grateful that I had a new friend."  
  
Inu Yasha looked down at Kagome, whom seemed to be half asleep. "But Sesshoumaru's your brother; or your half brother at least," Kagome said to him. He shook his head. "I did not know that at that time, Kagome. We had no idea we were brothers or related in any way."  
  
She smiled up at him. "That's interesting. I really love your tale, Inu Yasha...but I want to sleep now." Inu Yasha laughed lightly. "Of course," he said, and he gently laid her down on a soft bed of leaves. He then laid down behind her, and he wrapped his arms around her. He breathed in her sweet scent greedily.  
  
As he became aroused, he controlled himself and his mating instincts slowly melted away. She fell asleep in his arms, and he soon drifted off as well, dreaming that he and Kagome were finally together, forever, and they were happy. 


	6. Acceptance

Chapter Six: Acceptance  
  
Dawn came faster than they would think. The weak rays of the sun slowly spilled into the mouth of the cave and soon rested upon the two figures lying together on the pile of leaves.  
  
The rays woke Inu Yasha, and when he came to he realized that it hadn't been a dream; Kagome was really there in his arms, and he was sleeping beside her.  
  
He looked upon her lovingly and gently stroked her long, ebony hair. 'She's so beautiful,' Inu Yasha thought to himself. He had always thought that people looked younger when they slept.  
  
He rested his head back on the ground and closed his eyes, but he did not try to fall asleep. He was waiting patiently for Kagome to wake up. His ears picked up the familiar, soothing sounds of the birds making their morning calls, and a light breeze teased his silver hair.  
  
Suddenly, she stirred in his arms, making light sighing noises. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him. "Wow, I thought that that was just a dream, but it wasn't," she said, a bit astonished. "I can't believe I was actually sleeping with a hanyou!"  
  
He blushed, deeply embarrassed for no reason. "Is that a good thing? If not, then I'm sorry; I won't do it again." Kagome shook her head. "Oh, no, it's not that; I actually liked it. It was...an experience." She giggled a bit, and he sighed in relief.  
  
He let go of her, sat up, and yawned. She sat up with him, and giggled again as she saw his tongue lolling out of his mouth while he did so. "What's so funny?" he asked when she stopped. "Nothing!" she replied, giving him an innocent smile. He grinned, put her in a headlock, and gave her a noogy. "Ow! Inu Yasha!" she laughed.  
  
He finally let her go and got up. "How about we go on a little walk?" he asked her. "We'll need that exercise." She nodded, "That's a good idea; I haven't taken a decent walk in forever!" He helped her to her feet, put his arm around her waist, and walked off with her out of the cave and into the outside world.  
  
"I know just the place to go to," he said to her. "You'll love it." Kagome smiled to herself. There was nothing in the world she loved more than Inu Yasha, but she also loved the things he did with her. (A/N: Hey, wipe that look at your face! That is not what I meant!)  
  
They walked into the small forest that lay in front of the cave, and they didn't talk for a while. It could have been because they were trying to relish the beauty around them, or it could have been that they did not know what to say to each other. Heck, it could have been both.  
  
After a while, Kagome finally broke the silence, as usual. "Inu Yasha, what happened after you met Sesshoumaru in the barracks?" she asked. His head snapped up, as if he was just coming into reality. "Oh, I forgot!" he said, mentally slapping himself. "Sure, of course I will. I knew I had to say something!"  
  
Kagome giggled a bit as he said these things. But she soon quieted down as Inu Yasha began to speak.  
  
"The next day, Imasu woke us up at six 'o clock; my friend had explained to me that that was eighteen hundred hours in military time, because I was so confused. Imasu sent us to work right away. It was still very early, and some of the marketers had been up way before us just to put together their stands.  
  
"Imasu put us to work with a young kitsune, and we helped the kid put together his stuff together. After we helped him, it was about eight 'o clock; that was when people started coming by.  
  
"After we helped the boy, we were sent to work with an elderly neko demon that was putting up jewelry. It wasn't hard work, and the pay was very fair.  
  
"I was surprised, though, at how many people actually came to Shokugyo to buy stuff. 'I never thought that this place would be so popular; it gets more than a hundred people per day,' I had once said to Sesshoumaru while we were working. 'Well,' he replied, 'they didn't nominate it the most popular market in the north for nothing.'  
  
"Well, progress was good, and Sesshoumaru had kept his word; he trained me between work breaks and also after work. He took me out into the field by the market and taught me how to fight, defend, run fast, and tons of stuff like that. But the best part was, he taught me the Iron Reaver Soul Stealer move, which is an ancient technique brought down in the inu race for thousands of years.  
  
"This training was finally put to the test when I had to fight Sesshoumaru himself. He was pretty tough, and my fist barely made contact with his body. But I defended well, and I had become very fast. I ended up 'defeating' him, and he awarded me as his first successful student, even though he had no other students he trained in his past life.  
  
"When I had asked him how he knew all those battle moves, he just shrugged and said that it just came to him. I didn't believe it, but I didn't want to pressure him into telling me his secret. I stayed for several more years, trying to make enough money to go on the road again. I had become fourteen years old, and Sesshoumaru was now like a brother to me.  
  
"But then one day I had to leave; I could not stay there forever. I was very reluctant to leave, but I had to continue to pursue my journey to find the Shikon no Tama and become a true demon. Well, if it existed, that is.  
  
"Before I left, Sesshoumaru had told me that we might meet again one day. Turns out we did two years later, but we had become mortal enemies. But you know about that, of course."  
  
"Why did you become enemies?" Kagome asked. Inu Yasha sighed. "Once again, you are rushing me." She looked down. "Sorry," she said. He shook his head. "It's okay. Just let me continue. She nodded and let him talk.  
  
"After many tearful good-byes, I left, only this time I went to the east, where Sesshoumaru had mentioned the village with the jewel. I was ready to take anybody on, and that included priests.  
  
"On and on I went, traveling through dangerously open fields and plains. I passed through several forests occasionally, but that was nothing new. I had actually passed through quite a lot of villages; being casual when I was in a demon village, and being extra cautious in human villages.  
  
"Every village I came across, I asked a person if I were in the right village. Every time, they said no, that village is further to the east. So on I went, only stopping to eat or rest.  
  
"Soon I came across a large human village with children running around, and protective mothers scolding them. There were hundreds of huts, and there were priests everywhere. I knew, without a doubt, that this was the village I was looking for. But how would I be able to get in? Why, act like a human, of course.  
  
"I had pulled the hood of my shirt over my doglike ears, and tried as hard as I could to hide my claws by putting my hands into fists. When I was ready, I walked into the village. People looked at me and then looked away with little interest, as if they were used to seeing people wander into their home.  
  
"A group of priests came up to me, and my heart must have stopped pumping for a second. They barked at me to state my business, who I was, and why I was here. I had said that I was a wanderer named Ishiko, and I was looking for a place to live.  
  
"They gave me suspicious glances before escorting me to the largest hut in the village. When I asked where we were going, a priest had said that I was to be 'tested'. That word alone freaked me out.  
  
"We entered the hut, and what I saw was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen before. She had long, black hair flowing down to her waist and dark eyes that struck fear and wonder into a person's soul.  
  
"She sat in the middle of the floor, staring at me. They addressed her as 'Kikyo.' She told them to leave, and they did so. When they were gone she said, 'Come and sit before me.' I did as I was commanded; I was awestruck by her beauty. She was my age, too.  
  
"She asked me what the priests asked me, and I answered the same as before. She looked at me icily and replied, 'You mustn't lie; it's a bad habit.' And with that, before I could react, she pulled my hood off, exposing my demon ears. I was so scared and shocked that I was discovered. 'Your real name, please,' she said coldly, 'and the real reason why you are here.' I told her my name, and that I was here just to find a home to live in.  
  
"She scowled for a minute and said, 'If you were so desperate to find a home, then why choose this particular one from your long, perilous journey? Why a human village? Wouldn't you rather be with your own kind?' It was then I realized what 'testing' really meant. I strained my brain trying to find a fast answer.  
  
"'I used to live in the village that was closest to yours, but I was exiled for an unfair reason. I was sentenced to live here, in the presence of Lady Kikyo.' I addressed her carefully, and didn't speak too fast. She looked at me, and her eyes seemed to decide my fate.  
  
"Finally, she nodded and stood. 'I will accept you into my village. The priests will escort you to your new home. Welcome to Hikasuri village, Inu Yasha.' (A/N: I do not know the name of this village...if it has one, that is. I just made something up, so no flames, please.)  
  
"She bowed, and I bowed back, carefully imitating how she did it, since I did not know how. The priests came back in at her order, and they escorted me to my home. It was then that I knew that Kikyo was the head honcho around here, even though she was only a teenager.  
  
"I was thinking that she was probably the daughter of the pregnant priestess that Sesshoumaru was talking about. I also wondered where I would find this jewel, if it existed. They brought me to a small hut at the far end of the village that looked like it was big enough for two people, but that was good enough for me. I thanked them, and they just left without welcoming me.  
  
"They must not have liked the idea of a hanyou living there. I went inside and found that it was decent looking, with a double bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom. It also had an upstairs patio, I think. It reminded me of the barracks, and I started to have pangs of loneliness. I missed Sesshoumaru dearly.  
  
"I was restless that night, and troubled thoughts invaded my mind, like how am I going to find this jewel? How can I take it without Kikyo knowing? One crazy thought went through my head, and it was, 'Earn Kikyo's trust and ask her permission to take it.' Yeah, it was crazy, but somehow I thought that it just might work. I fell asleep with new hopes, and new dreams."  
  
He finished just as they walked into a sunlit clearing with a small stream gliding through it. Exotic flowers were everywhere, and they could see deer browsing in the distance. "Oh, Inu!" Kagome gasped. "It's beautiful!" He looked relieved. "You really like it?" he asked. "Yes!" she said, hugging him. He smiled, feeling even more relieved.  
  
As they made their way to the stream, he said, "I come here a lot, usually to think about things." Kagome looked up at him with a sly smile. "Like what?" He blushed. "N-Nothing," he said, embarrassed. She smiled and turned back to the stream, putting her hand in the water. It was pretty deep, actually.  
  
"Want to go for a swim?" she asked suddenly. His face went a dark shade of red. "Um, uh, well," he said, but Kagome was already taking her clothes off. "Argh! No, Kagome! Not in front of me!" he screamed, turning away. The deer looked up at him, yelled 'shut-up' in deer language, and went back to browsing.  
  
She looked hurt for a second, and then shrugged. Once all her clothes were off, she jumped in. When she resurfaced, she said, "Come on, Inu! The water's great!" Inu Yasha didn't turn. "You can look now," she called to him. He slowly turned and looked down at her. His face was getting hotter by the second. "Come in," she pleaded, her eyes getting big and watery. Inu Yasha sighed. "Fine. Turn around." She did as she was told, and she heard the ruffling of his clothes being taken off.  
  
Finally, she heard a big splash just beside her. She turned to see Inu Yasha, looking grouchy, and keeping a good distance from her. "You can't see anything, right?" he asked her, shielding his front with his hands. She laughed. "No, I can't see anything," she lied. "Oh, okay," Inu Yasha replied, lowering his hands. She had to stifle a giggle.  
  
They sat there for a while, not really doing anything. She swam around a bit, but he didn't. He just stood there like a statue, gazing into space and beyond. She sighed. "Look, if you don't want to swim, then we can get out." Those were the magic words for Inu Yasha; he shot out of the water and got dressed faster than Flash Gordon.  
  
She groaned, but was not really mad. She was actually kind of amused. "Turn around," she ordered. He did, and she got out and got dressed. But they made up for the waste of time by fishing, and then ate the fish they caught. When the sun was starting to go down, they lay down in the flower beds and watched the stars appear.  
  
"Kagome," he asked her. "Do I disappoint you?" She looked at his concerned face. "No, not at all," she replied. "Why do you ask me that?" He shook his head. "Forget it. It's nothing." They lay there until it got dark, and they went back to the cave.  
  
Once again, they settled in together and lay by each other. "I'll have to leave in the morning, Inu Yasha," she whispered to him before drifting off. But he didn't reply, for he had already fallen asleep. He was exhausted. Outside, the moon shone bright and the stars were shining. The crickets were starting their nocturnal chorus, and the fireflies danced brightly in the shadows. All was peaceful for the two lovers that lay together, under the light of the moon and the stars. 


	7. Trust

Chapter Seven: Trust  
  
Morning came again, and Inu Yasha woke up to find that Kagome was not there beside him. For a second, he thought that she might have been snatched by a demon and was taken away during the night.  
  
He was frightened for a second until he remembered her saying something about leaving in the morning. He must have been half-conscious. Relieved that she was in no danger, he stretched and got up at hunt for breakfast.  
  
"Damn schools," he said to himself as he trudged through the forest, scanning the area for deer. "She said her education was important, but I can only see her once a week. Saturday is the magic day; Sunday is when she and her family go to some weird shrine-honoring thingy," he said, remembering her schedule.  
  
He liked to talk to himself a lot; it comforted him for some reason. People might have looked at him and called him crazy seeing him talking to himself like he was having a conversation with some other person, but oh well. They see a lot of that nowadays.  
  
After a while he found a deer and killed it, then settled down to eat. As he ate, all he thought about was Kagome. "Why do I bother telling her about my past?" he said aloud again with a mouthful of meat. "It's kinda personal, some of it. But then again, she's my mate, so I should tell her, anyway."  
  
Satisfied, he gulped down the meat he was chewing and continued to devour the rest of the deer. A thought occurred to him, and the very thought of it formed a tight knot in his stomach, making him lose his appetite for about a millisecond.  
  
"Does she really want to be my mate? Does she really love me?" he asked himself. His ears drooped, but then he shook himself, as if to clear the thought from him mind. "No, you dolt," he growled angrily, to, you guessed it, himself. "She even said that she loved you. Don't be so selfish and worrying."  
  
He nodded, agreeing with his inner self, and continued to chomp away. Up in the tree above him, two vulture demons waited for him to leave the carcass. "The boy's got issues," one of the two said sadly. "I'll be praying for him," its mate agreed.  
  
Back in the future era, Kagome was not wondering about whether Inu Yasha loved her or not; she knew for a fact that he was crazy about her. Instead, she was trying to do her homework. "Screw these math problems!" she snarled, biting on her stuffed animal in her effort to keep herself from letting all hell break loose from her rage. She hated geometry. She hated shapes. She wanted to destroy them ALL!  
  
But that's a different story. She gives up on her homework and goes to bed, having difficulty falling asleep. Every time she turned around in her bed, she expected to see Inu Yasha there, sleeping soundly beside her.  
  
But he was never there with her in her time. Sighing in disappointment and longing, she would fall asleep dreaming of her and Inu Yasha, finally together, forever.  
  
***  
  
The week shot by, and soon it was Saturday. Once again, Kagome found herself going into the well and coming back to Inu Yasha's cave. After their usual moment of a long kiss, they settled down together and Inu Yasha started to tell his story again. (A/N: Yea, I know I rushed through that. Sorry, but they go through the usual routine. Think of chapter one; that's what happens over and over when she comes. I get sick of putting the same thing in every chapter. Anyways, read on. Sorry to slow you down. ^^)  
  
"The next day after I settled down for my first night in my new home, I pondered all over the village, searching for the hut that held the jewel. Some huts were restricted, but I managed to sneak a peek into a couple.  
  
"Some of the priests kept close watch on me with suspicious eyes. I didn't want to look suspicious myself, so I walked around casually, often pretending to buy things at their small market.  
  
"A couple days passed with no success. I was beginning to lose hope and thought that there was no Shikon no Tama at all. I was starting to think about my plan to winning Kikyo's trust and to get her to tell me where the jewel really was, but I still thought it was a crazy idea.  
  
"But then one day, fate met me at life's crossroads. I was wandering through the woods next to the village, when I came into a small glade and saw Kikyo standing in the middle of the clearing. She had her back to me, yet she still said, 'Hello Inu Yasha. Would you like to join me?' I though she had eyes in the back of her head or something.  
  
"A bit shaken by her knowing it was me, I stepped up to her side, and gazed at whatever she was gazing at. We stared into nothing for about five minutes when I finally asked what we were staring at. 'Spirits,' she replied. 'They are everywhere. They must be counseled while the day is still young.' I looked at her weird and thought that she was either trying to sound impressive, or that she was just delirious.  
  
"But I could tell that she was serious. Her face was so stern and set. Her eyes were like a mysterious, raging fire that tore at you with fear. Yet her eyes were also cold as ice. But deep down, I knew that she was very gentle and caring inside.  
  
"It might be hard to win her trust, but I still attempted it. 'So,' I said after a while, breaking the shattering silence. 'Do you want to take a walk with me or something?' She looked at me, and her eyes actually seemed soothing. After a while, she said, 'Yes, I'd love to. The spirits are not up to anything, anyway.'  
  
"As we walked off into the forest, I secretly rolled my eyes. That 'spirit' thing was very weird, but I could have sworn that I had felt an invisible hand touch my cheek; it was as cold as ice. Hey, it might have been Mother for all I know.  
  
"The walk did the trick because we talked the whole time. I told her about my life story, but I left out the part about me looking for the Shikon no Tama. She gave me pitiful looks after I finished my tale; most of it was made up, actually. I was a pretty good fibber.  
  
"She told me her story as well. Her mother had died only minutes after Kikyo's birth, and her father went into such a depression that he killed himself when she was five. Since her parents were the master priests of the village and Kikyo was the only one left, she was crowned the new guardian of the Shikon no Tama, even though she was a little child.  
  
"The other priests became her servants and guardians, and the village was under her control. She stayed priestess and successfully protected the jewel from demons up until she was the age she was now, using the bow and sacred arrows that her father and mother passed down to her.  
  
"We talked a little bit more, and I could feel her trust gaining as we went on. I knew that at the end of the day we had become friends. And, I have to admit, I was helplessly in love. By the time we walked out of the forest and into the village, we were both set to new high hopes. She had a friend, a thing she had never had, and I knew that I would get the jewel sooner than I thought I would. I was glad to know that it existed.  
  
"But I was being a selfish, thoughtless little hanyou. But I must say that as I said good-bye and good-night to her at my doorstep, I felt my heart sink. I was actually missing her right before she even left. As I lay in bed that night, all I ever thought about was her. I thought about the jewel occasionally, but mostly her.  
  
"I couldn't get over the fact that I was in love. I guess she felt the same towards me, because I could feel this faint aura surrounding us...an aura of passion. It was overwhelming."  
  
He looked at Kagome but, to his relief, she did not look angry or jealous at all. It was the past, but hey, she could still hate him for loving someone else before her. Why she would feel that way, I have no idea.  
  
"Did you get the jewel from her?" she asked quietly. "Or am I rushing you again?" He smiled. "You're rushing me, but I'll let it go once again. Anyway, as the next day had dawned, I was filled with a new hope, and I went outside only to see her standing there, looking scared and shy..."  
  
To be continued in the next chapter! Sorry if I made it a bit too short; you know how it is. Anyways, I hope you like it so far. I think I'm going to do a couple more chapters, and then I'm making a sequel! SQUEE! What else? Oh, yes: review, review, review! If you read this story and liked it, please review! I worked hard on this! So please, if you have to spare ten seconds of your time, please review! Thankies; next chapter will be completed today I think. Read up and enjoy! =^_^= 


	8. Betrayal

Chapter Eight: Betrayal  
  
"As I saw her standing there like that, I could feel my heart melt. She was so innocent and beautiful, and yet I was just a scraggly inu hanyou. I knew she did not deserve me, but then again, we only knew each other for one day; she could not have started to love me overnight, could she? No, we were just friends.  
  
"I went up to her at this early hour of the morning, and I asked her, 'Is there something you need, Lady Kikyo?' To my surprise, she gave me a dirty look and said, 'Don't call me Lady. Just plain Kikyo is fine with me.'  
  
"I nodded and bowed. 'As you wish,' I said. 'Don't bow,' she replied. I got up and nodded. 'I was never good at it, anyway.' She laughed, and then asked me the question I wanted to be asked. 'Would you like to go for another walk?'  
  
"I nodded again eagerly, and we walked into the woods, arm in arm. The forest was magnificent in the morning because the trees were shrouded in mist and the deer got up early to browse. We walked for a while, not talking. The silence was becoming uncomfortable.  
  
"Finally, I ventured myself to ask, 'Kikyo, are you lonely?' She looked up at me, her expression a somber expression. 'Well...yes, actually,' she said quietly. 'Why do you ask?' I shrugged and said, 'I dunno. I mean, with you being a guardian and all and being on duty twenty- four-seven, I just thought that you didn't have enough time on your hands to actually make a friend or something.'  
  
"She just shook her head. 'It doesn't matter. There are no children there that are my age besides you.' Suddenly, she looked up at me and demanded, 'Inu Yasha, what is the real reason why you are here? Tell me, now.' All of a sudden my stomach twisted into a knot of fear, and a low moaning noise came from my throat. She didn't seem to notice this, though.  
  
"After a while of me not being able to speak, Kikyo said softly, 'It's about the jewel, isn't it? You want it, don't you?' I could only gape and whisper, 'How did you know?' She smiled and said, 'That is all demons are after nowadays. Even full-blooded ones are out to get it just to become even more powerful, until they are at the mercy of my arrow. But you don't seem power-hungry at all. Why must you go after it?'  
  
"So I spilled my guts, just like that. I couldn't believe I was giving in that easily, even though in my heart I knew that if I lied then she would know it and would probably torture me to get some answers. I told her about the shadowy figure, his threat, and my mother's death, and how I vowed that I would become a full-blooded demon with the jewel and finally defeat my mother's murderer.  
  
"After I was finished talking, she gazed at my wonderingly. But then she turned cautious again. 'You are a very kind and earnest person, Inu Yasha, but I still cannot hand over the jewel. I mean, I am not misjudging you, but what if you were lying? What if you were really a spy or another power-hungry demon that is out for world domination? I'm sorry, but I cannot grant your request. I can't take the risk.'  
  
"My heart sank into my stomach. 'Well, what can I do to make you believe me?' I asked. She shook her head. 'I do not know. But even if you do have evidence of the proof of your story I still cannot risk it.' I stood there, glared at her with rising hate and, with a finally dirty look, dashed off further into the woods.  
  
"I ran and ran faster than I had ever run before. I wanted to run away from that final decision. I did not want a mere female to have power over me taking the jewel. But yet, she had the power over me anyway. I had heard about those arrows; they either killed or cursed a demon or hanyou, and they never missed their target.  
  
"I finally burst into a dense clearing and what I saw froze my heart solid. There, standing only about five feet away facing me was the dark figure I saw at the village, only this time he was dressed in a baboon skin cloak.  
  
"It took me a while to speak. When I could finally find my voice again, I whispered, 'You.' He smirked and nodded slowly. 'Yes, it's me. Having a nice time trying to get the jewel back, Inu Yasha? Is it going nice and smoothly for you?' he asked sarcastically.  
  
"I growled angrily. 'Who are you and what do you want,' I demanded. His smile disappeared and he said, 'I am Lord Naraku, the most powerful demon to ever be born.' His grin came back, a hideously twisted sneer. 'And I want you, Inu Yasha. I want you to join me.'  
  
"I could only whisper, 'Why?' He smiled. 'It would be much easier to exterminate all the humans of this world and gain power over demon if I had partner at my side.'  
  
"'I will never join you,' I hissed. He sighed. 'But of course you won't; you are too stubborn. But no matter; your brother Sesshoumaru would be much more helpful to me than you'll ever be.' I gasped, shocked. 'Sesshoumaru's my brother?' He smiled. 'Well, your half-brother, really; his father was the same as yours, but his mother was a demon. Your father was cheating on your mother, it seems, before he died.'  
  
"I could not believe this at all. 'You're lying, you bastard!' I screamed. He smirked again. 'Oh, a liar, am I?' He snapped his fingers, and I saw Sesshoumaru walk out from the trees towards us. He looked terribly mad, and I had an uncomfortable feeling that he was feeling that way towards me. 'Sesshoumaru,' I cried, running up to him. But once I got up there, he punched me in the gut and I doubled over with the wind knocked out of me.  
  
"'You stay away from me, you betrayer,' he snarled, his eyes ablaze. 'Betrayer?' I echoed when I got my breath back. 'Betrayer? How did I ever betray you?' He glared down at me and kicked my in the ribs, hard. I cried out in pain and backed up from him. His eyes were like fire.  
  
"'What did you tell him, Naraku?' I growled, getting to my feet again. Naraku shrugged. 'Only that you betrayed him by making up stories. You may say that you were out to become a full-blooded demon just to kill your mother's murderer, but the truth is, Inu Yasha, you killed her yourself and then went out looking for the jewel blaming the death on some shadowy figure. You were planning to use the jewel against all demons and take control over all of them.'  
  
"I could feel my eyes widening, and my heart was pumping like mad. I could not believe what was happening. 'You're lying! That's a lie! You've brainwashed my brother, you sick rat bastard! Why did you do this?' I could only scream. I knew that sooner or later I would pass out.  
  
"Naraku spread his hands and his mouth straightened into an innocent expression. 'What are you talking about, Inu Yasha? I only speak the truth after all.' I was shaking all over. Was he trying to gain control over me by lying? I did not know, but I knew one thing: I must destroy him. But that was an extremely foolish thought, like the thought that I could get the jewel by asking Kikyo herself.  
  
"'Get away from me,' I whispered hoarsely. Instead of going away, he said, 'I'll make you a deal, Inu Yasha. I will make Kikyo bring the jewel to you, in the forest, by the ancient tree, which is the biggest one in the heart of the woods.' I gave him a stupefied look and said, 'How the hell will you make her do that?' He grinned and replied, 'Mind tricks, of course. They are very fun to use.' He sounded like a child when he said that.  
  
"'And what do you want in return?' I asked groggily. I felt like I was drugged or something. He smirked and replied, 'Your brother.' I stood there, not knowing what to agree to. It may be a trap, yes. But then again, Naraku did not seem to really want the jewel; he was as powerful as he needed to be. But that could be a trick as well. Then again, if I agreed to that and got the jewel and became the full demon, then I would have a chance of killing Naraku and winning back my brother.  
  
"Being desperate and confused, I found my self agreeing. Naraku smiled. 'That's a good lad.' We even shook on it, and Sesshoumaru could only watch in horror. 'You really are a betrayer,' he snarled. 'I will kill you one day, brother! You'll see; I will kill you!' He was about to lunge at me, but Naraku held him back. 'Now now, Sesshoumaru, we mustn't get violent right away.'  
  
"Then Naraku said, 'Tomorrow at noon, meet me in the fields south of the village. I will then give you the jewel. After you have it, go to the ancient tree, put the necklace on, and you will become a full demon.' I glanced at him and said suspiciously, 'Why at the tree? Shouldn't I put it on in the field?' He shook his head. 'The tree is a replica of a shrine where the people of this village went to pray. It is the place where the jewel was made. You can only get the full power if you put it on at that exact spot.'  
  
"I considered this, not thinking that this was a trick at all. I was too excited. 'Are we agreed?' he asked. I nodded. He smiled. 'Good. So you know where to go. Do not be late.' Suddenly, we all heard Kikyo calling my name in the distance, her voice getting closer. Naraku looked at me and said, 'We must go now. I will see you tomorrow, Inu Yasha.' I nodded, and my heart sank when I saw Sesshoumaru's hurt and angry glare.  
  
"They were walking away when the thought came to me. 'Naraku,' I said, 'why give me an opportunity to get the jewel, when you want it yourself?' He turned and looked at me, shaking his head solemnly. 'Inu Yasha, Inu Yasha. Don't you get it by now?' he asked softly. 'Even if you do become a full-blooded demon, there is still no way that you can defeat me. You are as good as dead.' He gave me a final smile and a farewell before walking away with Sesshoumaru, leaving me standing there in silence.  
  
"As soon as they disappeared from view, Kikyo ran into the clearing. 'Inu Yasha, are you okay?' she cried. I didn't answer her. I was still shocked from the encounter and the deal. I was terrified and excited at the same time.  
  
"But then my worries reversed when she told me later on that day that I could leave the village now that she would not allow me to get the jewel, no offense. I looked at her and said softly that I knew that. She looked back at me and asked why I would stay then. And I replied, 'Because I love you.' She gave me a surprised and scared look, but before she could change her mind I kissed her full on the lips.  
  
"She didn't push me away; instead, she kissed back. When we finally parted, we both had dreamy expressions on our faces. After that, we were reluctant to say good-night. I would have invited her to my hut, but I didn't. No rush to getting to know her too well.  
  
"That night I could not sleep at all. I was so nervous and scared. I kept thinking if Naraku was lying, which he probably was. But I knew that I had to take the risk; it was my only opportunity. When I finally did go to sleep, I remembered that I dreamed of killing Naraku as a full-blooded demon and becoming reunited with my brother and Kikyo. I had no idea what was in store for me the next day."  
  
Author's Note  
Okay, I made a decision. If I do not get more reviews soon, then I don't think I will continue this story. I know I may sound selfish and stubborn, but I worked hard on this and need the support. Please read my story and review every chapter! I need the encouragement! Please help me out!  
  
--Naomi-san, zee author of zee story 


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